Find Peace with the Couples Finance Compass

Do you and your partner fight over finances? All too common, all too painful. The Self Compass shows you why and what to do about it:

Dependent trend spouses stuck on the Love compass point buy too many things to make too many people happy. They say, “Sure, honey” when asked about a purchase when they really mean “No, it’s too expensive for us right now.” They want their partner’s approval, and can’t stand the prospect of their anger. Yet they feel secret resentment toward their spouse.

Aggressive trend spouses stuck on the Assertion compass point buy what they want when they want it without much consideration of their partner’s perspective.  They are suspicious about their spouse’s spending habits, yet will lie about how much they’ve actually spent themselves.

But when each spouse balances Love with Assertion, they learn to diplomatically stand up for their financial preferences and to be generous and trusting of their partner’s. This takes a willingness to be honest yet tactful, compromising yet realistic.

Couples Finance Compass

Withdrawn trend spouses stuck on the Weakness compass point avoid taking financial responsibility. They see themselves as incapable of learning how to handle finances and feel defeatist and apologetic when their spouse gets exasperated with them. Which is often.

Controlling trend spouses stuck on the Strength compass point like to take over family finances; they know it all and judge their spouse as less competent than they. Their down-putting remarks about spending habits results in their spouse feeling financially inept, thereby confirming their incompetence. 

When Weakness and Strength are combined in couple’s financial issues, each spouse balances fair-minded responsibility with discerning compromise to reach ongoing workable principles. This takes a willingness for both partners to admit they don't know everything about finances, that they can make mistakes, as well as a willingness to ask for outside help, learn how to balance a budget, and exercise discipline in keeping it. 

Couples Finances

Love with Assertion brings freedom to discuss individual financial priorities honestly, yet with a generous heart. Weakness combined with Strength promotes financial competence without being judgmental about mistakes. Couples end up with a practical budget and room to enjoy life, while revisiting spending decisions as family circumstances change.

For more on how to transform these personality trends, read:

The Self Compass: 

Charting Your Personality in Christ